Bar Bullying
The Steel Balloon Within the Steel Balloon, there is a dance floor immediately past the front door. Behind the floor is the main bar, which curves around like an elongated half-octagon. Several bartenders busily serve the customers that flow into this place at any given time. Contents: Krunk Krunk can be found, of course, at the bar, hunched over a datapad and drinking heavily. Snapdragon himself, headless, is off in a corner surrounded by groupies. Or at least paid groupies. It's not a terribly active evening at the neutral bar, but there's still pounding music and glimmering lights. Velum was here the other night, so it's a surprise to see her back. But then again she won a boatload with her bet on Blurr and she's quite eager to spend a bit of it at the place she won it all. "Another one of these, please." Her voice is heard a few seats down from Krunk, Velum having made her way from her table nearer the back. Even though the bar may not be as active as usual, there's still enough of a crowd to keep her from noticing the Headmaster right away and his partner being fawned over way in the corner. With bottle of Nebulan brew delivered she plants herself on the stool and flicks the top off with metal thumb, allowing her to take a long sip. Sniff. Sniff-sniff. Yes, Krunk can /smell/ Velum despite not seeing her. He looks around grimly, drumming his armored, clawed fingers against the datapad, and eventually spots the other Nebulan. "Well if it isn't Goodie Locks," he grates deeply. "How's it hanging with the blind justice brigade?" It doesn't seem like he's genuinely interested in an answer, his steely gaze menacing. Geez, how did she miss him? Velum wondered what was beginning to smell in here... A brow cocks slightly as gaze flicks Krunk's way, the woman not pausing in nursing her drink. He may not want an answer, but he's gonna get one anyway once bottle is lowered and she sends him a smug little smirk. "Pretty good. A lot better than hanging around a walking septic tank. And how's your time with your handler, Zarak? He treating the mangy guard dog well?" Krunk 's eyes narrow further. While he doesn't necessarily mind getting called as such, it's clearly an insult from Velum. He watches her drink, blatantly. Without really knowing it, his eyes drift to her cybernetic arm, and the Snapdragon part of his brain almost hungers for it. "Tch... I used to hold girls like you for ransom." Velum feels those eyes on her, but doesn't react to it, instead sniffing in derision at his comment. "We all know about the Llyra thing. Too bad that was your last job before her dad caught you under his heel and made you his little attack pet." She takes a long pull of her beer, draining at least a third before setting it back and licking her lips and regarding with with a half mast gaze, "I wonder if you ever take that suit off. But I guess you haven't showered because of it so I should be thankful it's blocking the stink." Krunk works his jaw, irritably glancing away. He shrugs. "That was a poor decision on my part, but I wouldn't take it back. You should've heard her screaming..." His grim mug splits into a smile. "Though her screams don't compare to yours... Heh heh." He leans in his stool to face her properly. "The stench is Snapdragon's doing," he insists, the comment something of a sore spot. "But you couldn't get me out of this thing if you tried." Wink. "Can't compare what you haven't heard." Velum retorts and leans into the counter to rest elbow against it, lips pursing faintly while eyeing him from the corner of her vision. That wink gives her the creeps, but she stays strong and instead of cower away, she turns head his way and grins, actually chuckling softly. "As if I'd ever want to. Please, I don't need everyone in the room breaking down in tears from seeing your ugly mug. Best to keep that deadly weapon under wraps." She snorts and shakes her head, returning to her drink. Krunk 's smug smile fades soon enough. He takes another shot and turns it upside down on the counter. "You haven't seen ugly," he growls, steadily growing agitated. "Ugly is cavorting with /humans/. Betraying your race. You're pathetic, Velum." His faceplate retracts and he spits on the ground. "There's still time to abandon these strange fantasies of yours." Triggerhappy has entered The Steel Balloon. Cybertronian Turbo-Thrust Jet Fighter transforms into his Blowpipe mode. Blowpipe walks into the Steel Balloon, making his way to the bar. He sits himself down next to Krunk, ordering a drink as he eyes Velum. "Well, what do you know, it's traitor again." he says, nodding at her. It's a good thing Krunk is in his exosuit...he has a reputation for uh, well, not smelling particularly pleasant... Now that's a low blow. If Velum wasn't agitated before then she certainly is now, fixing Krunk with a nasty scowl and narrowed gaze. "Betraying my race? You're one to talk after joining with the man who sought to pretty much /enslave/ our race." Bottle is set a little louder than usual on the counter, the woman turning to him fully. "And the only fantasies here.." She moves now, standing from her seat to advance on the man and jab metal finger hard against his chest once she's up close and personal, Krunk able to hear the hiss in her voice and see the fire in those cerulean blues. "The only ones are /yours/ for really thinking you'll be safe forever behind your little master and your trash heap of a partner. I /will/ come for you and have you trialed for your crimes, and there is /nowhere/ you'll be able to hide." Blowpipe doesn;t get her attention just yet, too busy staring down Krunk and being way too close for comfort. Snapdragon stirs in the distance. Something, someone is threatening... Krunk tries to call him off. "It's just a /girl/," he mutters, then lifts his voice. "You'd like to see me hanged, eh? I won't hide. I'll be smiling well into my death, however it happens. I hope that upsets you." Krunk was a criminal before all of this - his morals are largely absent, so he has no qualms with making to shove Velum's shoulders after she prods at his chest. "Such righteous fury... It's kinda' cute." Blowpipe draws his attention, and he offers a snarky grin. "Oh, -you're- one to talk, Captain." Blowpipe grins back at Krunk, then sneers at Velum. "Who is the one currently serving in a -human- military organization, hm? Look at your allies, the Autobots. Didn't you -hear- about what happened to the Aquantians? Those poor, poor, primitive water creatures?" He asks, his voice taking on a mock-sad tone. "If they had just left Shockwave's dangerous research well enough alone, perhaps that city would still be intact! But -noooo-, your -Autobot- friends just HAD to go poking in there, to steal whatever information they could find." Velum is the type to get angry very quickly and laugh in the face of danger, so it's not surprise she's so willing to get up in Krunk's face when he's wearing his power armor. She'd definitely lose against him this way, but she doesn't really care about that. What she really cares about is... not starting a fight in a neutral zone like this. "It does, but that doesn't mean I won't be smiling back as I watch them kick the stool out from under your feet." His shove doesn't send her far, only a single step, and she snorts at him, brushing herself off and muttering under her breath at his comment, "Disgusting..." Velum steps back to her seat and settles in, snatching up half empty bottle once more and taking a long drink before setting sights on Blowpipe who earns a grimace. "If Shockwave had been left alone those people would've just ended up being Decepticon slaves, just like you two." Krunk twitches. "We're not Decepticon slaves - We did this willingly. Bonded with machinery. I'm sure the same can't be said for your arm," he sneers, staring right back at her pretty face. When she's shoved back, he feigns sadness, "Those poor aliens, suffering at the hands of your friend. Do you feel like a hero, Velum?" Blowpipe nods at Krunk's words. "Indeed. We are not slaves, fool. We willingly subjected ourselves to the binary bonding process, finding it mutually beneficial." His drink arrives, and he takes a swig of it. "Just as Zarak did. As for slavery of a primitive race...you speak of it as if it were a -bad- thing. Without foreign intervention by someone like Shockwave, such creatures could never hope to see their full potential realized just as -we- have. It could only help them in that way." ....The arm. He just had to mention the arm, didn't he? Velum becomes very quiet very quickly at that, expression turning blank as it stares at her beer bottle upon the counter and the metal fist that holds it. Their jeers fall on deaf ears, Velum not uttering a word. ..Something is wrong. Is she about to cry, perhaps? No. Far from it. Breathing increases steadily and grip tightens on the bottle until she reaches her breaking point and lashes out. In an instant she tosses the bottle at Blowpipe, looking to smash it against his face. Whether it hits or not is none of her concern, since once it leaves her hand she whirls on Krunk and roars while springing for him, lashing metal fist out to connect with his face and tackle him down off his seat. Combat: Velum sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Velum strikes Krunk with her Fist Meet Face (Punch) attack! Krunk doesn't quite get his faceplate up in time and gets a face full of metal. Blood fills his mouth as he's flung from his stool, and the barkeeper leers at the group of fleshlings. "Urgh, sunnuva'..." After a moment of mentally warring with Snapdragon, Krunk claws back upright and springs right for Velum, aiming to draw his power armored arm around her neck. "That was the wrong thing to do, missie... But damned if you ain't smokin'. I love a fiesty gal." Combat: Krunk sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Krunk strikes Velum with his Chokehold attack! Combat: You took 8 damage. Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Velum's Agility. (Crippled) "Hgnn..." A glass bottle is flung at Blowpipe's face. Not having anticipated her lashing out like that, it cubs him in the side of the head, shattering to pieces. The shards dig into his face, and blood streams down his forehead. Oh, it was -on-, now. "Heheh. Fiesty, aren't you? Just look at you, you're just as violent and out of control as either of our binary bond partners; perhaps even more so! You're no -heroine-. You're just a -traitor!" Hah! This girl was a fool, to be picking a fight where she was clearly outnumbered -and- outmatched. But it didn't matter.... Once Krunk has grabbed her neck, he walks over and swings a fist at her face in retaliation. Combat: Blowpipe sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Blowpipe strikes Velum with his You Hold Her I'll Punch! (Punch) attack! Combat: You took 9 damage. "Bastard!" Velum snarls dangerously at the downed Headmaster, boring holes through him with the force that she glares. "Don't you /ever/ make a joke about this arm! You have no idea of the hell I went through to lose it!" Fists are shaking with how tight she balls them, Krunk's blood gleaming on metallic knuckles. "And I am no hero, I am a soldier, tasked with one duty! To bring you and your ilk down!" She moves for him again, but Krunk is already on his feet and slipping around her and snaking an arm around her throat, trapping her and lifting her off her feet some. "Ghk!" She winces hard, hands gripping his arm tight while struggling to breath, the strike to her face from Blowpipe not helping in the least. But she's not about to give in so easily, swinging feet to try and rock herself forward. If she can plant feet firmly she'll use the strength of robotic limb to reach back, grab Krunk by the scruff, and attemp to fling him forward over her shoulder and into Blowpipe. Combat: Velum strikes Krunk with her Up And Over (Ruckus) Area attack! Combat: Velum strikes Blowpipe with her Up And Over (Ruckus) Area attack! Krunk is flung right into Blowpipe. "GAH!" Not a position he had hoped to be in for the evening. He scrambles off and appears both frustrated and somewhat fearful, like any attack dog might be of his master. Well, /family/ of master. "Er, pardon sir..." Wiping blood from his lip, he turns to stalk back towards Velum, his smile rather manic now. Snapdragon's stench becomes stronger as the headless t-rex stalks over, "Krunk, I will not deal with the bouncers again, we're leaving." And before Krunk can get a word in edgewise, he's being hauled off. "Rrgh!" "Umph!" Krunk and his exosuit are hurled onto Blowpipe. He tries to move out of the way, but he is caught by the shoulder and knocked to the floor. He sits up slowly, his body battered and bruised though he is still smirking. "Oh, ....perhaps you are right! We don't. Would you care to enlighten us, then? Tell us, Captain! How -did- you lose that arm? How did it -feel-?" he asks, grinning now. Combat: Blowpipe takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Snapdragon goes home. Snapdragon leaves The Steel Balloon. Velum is oh so tempted to make a break for Krunk as he's being dragged off, but she's not about to take on Snapdragon alone, or at least without her exosuit. Once he's gone Blowpipe is the only one left, the man now stuck in her crosshairs as she turns to him. He may have his armor, but Velum is not about to back down, too furious and radiating so much anger at this point. "As if I'd tell scum like you my story!" Muscles tighten and she makes a sudden sprint for him. "You should follow Snapdragon's advice and beat it before I beat /you/!" Just as she reaches him a leg draws back and swings out, further powered by momentum to strike the sitting man right up under his jaw with the tip of her leather boot. Combat: Velum strikes Blowpipe with her Kick attack! "Then don't complain about our jokes, dear!" Blowpipe laughs when Velum refuses to tell him about her arm. He watches as she runs at him, and doesn't move. The looks on his face betrays the fact that he thinks this little altercation is rather amusing. He lets the kick connect with his jaw, and more blood spews from a corner of his mouth. "Tsk, tsk...but why would I want to do -that-? It's so incredibly amusing, watching you get so -furious-. Look at you, I'm willing to bet most of your self-righteous Autobot 'friends' would disapprove of your lack of self-control." As her leg comes back down, he stands up, and trying to grab it and twist -hard-. Combat: Blowpipe strikes Velum with his Twist and shout (Punch) attack! Combat: You took 6 damage. The strength of her leg is no match for his suit's, Velum's leg twisting with ease, making her reel and roar with pain. She's thrown off balance and is sent to the floor beside Blowpipe, seething with rage as she stares him down. "I think they'd approve. There's a lot more like me than you think." Rolling away she tries to recover and stand, though it takes a moment when she stumbles on sore leg. At this point the bar patrons are looking agitated by the scuffle and the bartender is already calling over security, who've been more entertained by the spectacle than anything. Noting them heading their way Velum curses under her breath and turns to Blowpipe, level a finger at him. "You're getting off easy this time. Try me again and I'll beat your face into pulp against the floor." With that said she strains to put weight on her leg while making a dash out of the bar and onto the next shuttle back to Bot territory. Combat: Velum begins retreating, outrunning all pursuit. Blowpipe smirks as he watches her go. "You're still a traitor, you know!" he calls out after her. "You heard what Llyra said about your -friends-, didn't you? Oh, and you let a terrorist run your organization for a while, as well. He tortured sapients in the name of the EDC, until he was finally taken -care- of. You think you have the right to judge us for our 'crimes'? Hah! You're no better than we are, yourself!" But she finally leaves the bar, and he limps back to his drink, smirking despite himself.